Energy bills advance with House vote

The first is H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act. This bill would maintain some federal rules on coal ash, but would let states set out specific standards for this pollutant.

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The second is H.R. 1582, the Energy Consumers Relief Act, which would only allow an Environmental Protection Agency rule with an impact of more than $1 billion to be issued after a Department of Energy finding that the rule does not significantly hurt the economy.

But Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) said the legislation is just two more examples of bills that will go nowhere in the Senate once passed by the House because there has been no Democratic input into the language.

"For any of these important issues to be addressed, members would have to work together to resolve their differences," he said. "Instead, we're spending our time on two bills that my friends across the aisle know will never become law."

Republicans will give Democrats some chance to adjust the bills — the rule as approved makes six Democratic amendments in order, and three Republican amendments.

After passing the rule, the House moved back to the 2014 defense spending bill, H.R. 2397, which members are expected to pass later Wednesday night.